"Then bumping into you was so unexpected You popped into…read moreview, we clicked and connected" (Tony Bennett) Living so close by, we seem to visit the Staples store in Avon once a week. And after our shopping is completed, we always exit the same way, by driving down the lot section between Staples and Petco, and making a left to enter traffic on West Avon Road. Whenever we've done this, we always saw a sign in the back of the parking lot indicating an entry point to some sort of a trail, and we always say to each other. "Hey, we should check that out some time". Well, after we picked up some printer paper at Staples yesterday, guess where we finally stopped? What was really unexpected was that within 20 steps of entering the trail, the forest we encountered had zero connection to the busy suburban traffic and commerce we had just left. The grounds and trails of the Wellner Preserve are amazing - peaceful, tranquil, isolated...... pick an adjective because they all apply. While you're at it, pick one of their three well marked trails and loop around to see solitary woods everywhere. We were the only ones out there and just saw three signs of civilization - a wood bridge at the trailhead, a kiosk sign and trail map, and a fallen tree that had been chain sawed open to unblock a trail. That was it. We saw and heard nothing. We could have been in the desolate Maine wilderness for all I knew. The trails are short and covered with leaves, and the mosquitoes were pretty active, but all in all it was a pretty incredible experience to see.

Wellner Preserve is a 1.3 mile loop trail managed by the Avon Land Trust. There are three trails;…read morethe blue Cathedral Valley trail is 0.3 mile one way; the yellow Wellner perimeter trail is 0.75 mile; the orange Nancy Nation trail is 0.6 mile out and back. On the orange trail, there is a view of the Talcott Mountain when looking out East. The trail entrance is behind Petco and Staples; there is no sign just a wooden pole with a blue dot. Once you enter the trailhead, you will see a small wooden bridge and there is an informational kiosk. There were plenty of parking. We went on a rare, warm November day. The leaves were everywhere, so it can be slippery. The trails were easy to follow and nicely blazed; they did a great job with marking the trees. There were some steep-ish hills to hike up and down on, but they did a great job with etching the trail into the hills. On this visit, we explored the blue and yellow trails. The land looked like a natural amphitheater because there was a concave space in the middle of it; I thought it looked like a meteor might've crashed there at one point, based on the shape. However, I think it's just a natural glaciel formation of the earth. I thought this property was cool to see right behind a very busy and developed plaza. A piece of untouched land and nature in its glory. The hike was peaceful even though you can hear traffic in the beginning. There is a boundary marker showing where all three towns meet on this property; these towns are Avon, Canton, and Simsbury. Overall, a moderate and fun hike.

This hidden 14 acre park is located in the Old Avon Village Parking lot, right at the exit in front…read moreof the traffic light. It was hard to find at first because the address was wrong on Yelp, but with a little perseverance, I finally found it! Yes, I requested for Yelp to update the address. There was a huge sign at the entrance with rules and facts about the park. It is a privately owned park open to the public. The trail was grassy with very little gravel at some spots. There were little signs throughout with bits of information; some were really old and faded, some didn't have anything on it. There is a big pond in the middle; on the southern portion, you will see the Farmington River and Alsop Meadows across the way. In this area, there were giant beautiful birch trees. There were picnic tables and benches in various areas. A great place to picnic, take a walk, and just take in nature in the midst of a busy area filled with plazas and roadways. However, I gave it two stars because the signs and picnic tables were old/broken; there was a huge tree that fell over and the grass was kind of long. We had to check for ticks thoroughly after. Overall, a cute little park that needs a little loving and attention.

If you ever find yourself in the Old Avon Village Shopping Plaza, make your way over to the lower…read moreparking lot's eastern most extremity. You will see a sign for the entrance to River Park, it's kind of right next to the parking lot's exit onto busy Route 44. It's a privately owned 14-acre park that was impeccably maintained. There is a mowed grass trail into the woods with a very easy to follow trail that takes you into the forest and under a nice tree canopy. Walk a little further and you'll discover the water- a very nice Pond with some gorgeous scenery. There are picnic tables, benches, and a fire-pit spread throughout the 14-acres for your enjoyment. The Park was developed for a 2010 project by Avon Girl Scout Troop 66291.

Ended up at this park by accident and we can't wait to go back and explore a bit more…read more At first this park seems like an open field and parking lot but if you walk over the bridge and pond, it opens up to the rest of the grounds and the Connecticut tobacco museum. They have a few farm animals like horses, cows, donkeys, rabbits, chickens, and more. The barn includes information about all of the animals and the nature center has more information about Connecticut's nature scene. There's also a trail that seems to lead pretty far out. We'll check it out next time.

Wonderful hidden gem especially for families with small children. They have trails a barn with…read moreanimals and the playground which our children loved.

The Pinchot Sycamore Park is located below the Route 185 Bridge and along the Farmington River. The…read morepark is home to the oldest tree of its kind in CT. The park also includes a small launch on the Farmington River for canoes, kayaks, and small boats. This so-called launch is nothing more than a narrow path with large rocks sticking out of the ground, going down a hill to the river that is also very rocky. The tree is definitely worth checking out.

Tree Huggers Unite!…read more The Pinchot Sycamore Tree is located in a small park in Simsbury. The entrance to the park is very steep and in front of the traffic light, right next to the bridge. There's a small dirt parking lot and the Farmington River is adjacent to the park. There is another large tree with big rocks surrounding it. I saw a couple of trails going down to the river; a place to offload kayaks and canoes. The time I went, I saw a group of people standing/swimming in the water. Right next to the bridge, you will see the massive American Sycamore tree; the largest tree in Connecticut. The 200-300 year old tree is very beautiful and majestic. There were two stone markers in front of the tree; the tree was dedicated to conservationist, Gifford Pinchot. The tree is lit up with lights at night. Overall, a lovely place to be and reminisce about what the tree has seen throughout the years.

I saw that this 17.5 acres park had a wooden covered foot bridge so I had to check it out. There…read moreare two ponds in this park; upper north pond and lower south pond. The bridge is over a dam between these two ponds. New England is popular for its covered bridges; they're all over. There were plenty of parking and a porta potty onsite. There is a building with a deck overlooking the ponds that you can rent out for events. We walked around the park and explored. There were two small trails in this park we walked on; one lead to a street and the other to a paved path behind houses. There were a couple of benches and a small wooden bridge on one of the trails. I think it's a small park; great to do a short walk and view the small waterfall. As far as trails and activities, it seems limited compared to other parks.

"Let's move to the countryside Park this truck in the pale…read moremoonlight Just you and the stars up in your eyes" (Florida Georgia Line) We parked in the Countryside lot near 335 Huckleberry Hill Road and immediately saw two pretty big ponds and a covered bridge. Countryside Park is just 17.5 acres of hiking trails, scenery, and picnic areas by the ponds. Lots of great photo ops here. The short hiking trail is dirt with some tree roots and rocks. Its really a connector to the paved "Rails to Trails" system which snakes right past single family homes. We were so close to the houses, we felt like we were intruding on their privacy. The park property also has a 60' X 25' multi-use building for private use, with a full kitchen, fireplace, air conditioning, and a deck overlooking one of the ponds.  But you'll have to wait a while before you use it because its currently closed for renovations.

This trail was flat and had pretty areas but was way too close to the road. I had to keep my…read moreAirPods in just because of how loud the road was the whole time.

This West Hartford trail was 8 to 10 feet wide and paved; it's very easy for walking with a…read morestroller. There is parking at the Beachland Park and Elmwood Community Center. We didn't know this so we found a random spot at Norfeldt Little League field and started there. Based on the town's website, the Greenway project is expected to be completed in 2024 and will be about 4 miles long: the trail is located in between New Park Ave and Asylum Ave. There are multiple phases to construction and it is still being worked on. The trail was popular when we went. There were bikers, joggers, dog walkers, and rollerbladers. The Trout Brook was clear and serene. Part of the trail is behind people's houses. There are spots where you have to cross the street and you can see/hear the traffic adjacent to the trail. It is not the quietest trail I've been on but it's still good. Overall, a lovely trail for the community; I love the accessibility and a great spot for a lovely stroll.

This 137-acre property is a wildlife management and training area for hunting dogs. The Farmington…read moreRiver runs besides it and it was a farm that was purchased by the state in the 1970s. The dirt road going into the area is a little conspicuous. The road was very narrow and had potholes that could take you to Australia; just drive really slow. There's a paved bike trail right beside it too. When I went, I parked on the first parking area to the left. I walked down the dirt road (which was muddy due to rain) and saw a huge pond to the right. The pond was clean and pristine with a little beach. There was a long walking path near a giant field that was being mowed the day I went. I saw other people walking, walking their dogs, and even a kayaker. The park was quiet and very serene. There are many recreational activities to do there; hunting, fishing, hiking, and kayaking/canoeing. The main use for this property is field trials; hunting dogs are trained for speed, style, and locating/retrieving of game. The field and water are crucial for this type of traning. When there are field trial trainings, the park will be closed. There is a schedule you can check online to see if the park is available for the public. During the fall and winter, it is advised that visitors and their dogs wear orange vests due to hunting season; however, discharging of ammunition is allowed daily. Overall, it was a lovely area to take a stroll! We had a fun time walking and relaxing by the water.

One of a kind open space to stretch your human legs and your Canines legs, too. My review comes…read moreafter steady visits through all four seasons. Every season has its pros and cons, but this wanderer has to say Fall is my favorite. Important to keep in-mind this is State Open Space for ALL forms of life and they must co-habitat while visiting. This means our canine friends must be well trained and stay within command, so all may enjoy the space. Humans, please monitor your canine and their droppings. Leaving these, no pun, BEHIND, can dampen the experience for other nature lovers. A good practice is to be aware of regular schedule of permitted game clubs and field trials. The following CTDEEP website is my regular reference before setting-out: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Hunting/Field-Trial-Dates#NODBROOK Generally spring, summer, and fall are the busy time for the fields or sections where they are closed for safety. Fear not, there are plenty of other times to visit, hike the looping trails with canines off-leash, given well behaved, observe the beautiful natural surroundings, especially the paralleled flow of the Farmington River and view of Heublein Tower off across the valley.

Beautiful hike, not too hard, but not necessarily for beginners either. I wood bring water and good…read moreshoes

I hosted a birthday hike at Quarry Park and brought a bag of spray paints- we had a blast! The hike…read moreis fair, not easy but not difficult. The graffiti was beautiful art. The only downfall is that we put bug spray on, but I came home with 42 mosquito bites- but I will go back when there's not as many mosquitoes!!